Minster of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has stated that certain reforms pertaining to both, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have begun.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday (23 March), the Minister assured that the restructuring of both institutions will be expedited, and that the relevant trade unions were also informed of this.

“We are not going back on our word in this regard”, Wijesekera said.

Commenting specifically on Sri Lanka’s fuel market, he noted that measures are underway to introduce three new global fuel suppliers to the domestic retail market within the next two weeks, in order to bring in a healthy level of 
competition.

“People are saying CPC is better, now that we have both a profit and an income.

But what is the point of having profits and incomes if we can’t provide a certain extent of relief to the public? This is why we need competitors within the market”, the Minister said in this regard.

“Once the National Energy committee gives its approvals it will be presented to the Cabinet for its consent”.

Wijesekera also noted that he does not expect any resistance from the Opposition in this regard, as their roadmap for the country’s economic recovery also included the proposal of inviting competitors into Sri Lanka’s fuel market.